Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Rink Creek, 

Salmon Creek, and Good River, Glacier Bay National 

Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Open-File Report 2013–1097
Cover: Water sampling at Rink Creek, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, 

Alaska. Photograph taken by Sonia A. Nagorski, University of Alaska 

Southeast, April 22, 2010.
Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Rink Creek,

Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay

National Park and Preserve, Alaska,

November 2009–October 2011

By Sonia A. Nagorski, Edward G. Neal, and Timothy P. Brabets

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Open-File Report 2013-1097

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2013

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living 

resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS.

For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, 

visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod

To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov

Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government.

Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials 

as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.

Suggested citation:

Nagorski, S.A., Neal, E.G., and Brabets, T.P., 2013, Mercury and water-quality data from Rink Creek, Salmon River, and 

Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011: U.S Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 2013-1097, 20 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/ofr/2013/1097.
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2

Description of Study Area ............................................................................................................................2

Climate....................................................................................................................................................2

Local Atmospheric Mercury Deposition...........................................................................................7

Field and Analytical Methods ....................................................................................................................10

Analytical Methods for Mercury......................................................................................................10

Quality Assurance for Mercury Analyses ......................................................................................10

Analytical Methods for Other Water-Quality Parameters............................................................11

Mercury and Water-Quality Data..............................................................................................................11

Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................18

References Cited .........................................................................................................................................18

Figures

1. Maps showing locations of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and aerial

image of Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River watersheds and sampling sites,

Alaska .............................................................................................................................................3

2. Maps showing wetland delineations within Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good

River watersheds, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska..................................5

3. Graph showing daily and long-term average precipitation for Gustavus, Alaska,

October 2009–December 2011....................................................................................................6

4. Graph showing daily maximum and minimum air temperature and long-term

average daily maximum and minimum air temperature for Gustavus, Alaska,

October 2009–December 2011....................................................................................................7

Tables

1. Physical characteristics of Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River watersheds,

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska....................................................................6

2. Watershed areas and wetland coverage of Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good

River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska.........................................................6

3. Mercury concentration in wet deposition and mercury deposition from weekly

samples collected at the Mercury Deposition Network collection site at Bartlett

Cove, Alaska, March 24, 2010, to November 1, 2011...............................................................8

4. Discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, dissolved organic carbon,

ultraviolet absorbance, and specific ultraviolet absorbance in water samples

collected at Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park

and Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009, to October 26, 2011 ...........................................12
iv

5. Filtered and particulate total mercury and methylmercury concentrations, and the

percent of total mercury occurring in the filtered phase, in water samples collected

at Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and

Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009, to October 26, 2011 ...................................................13

6. Instantaneous flux and specific flux for total mercury and methylmercury in the

filtered and particulate phase, and dissolved organic carbon flux and specific flux

for Rink Creek, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009,

to October 26, 2011 .....................................................................................................................14

7. Instantaneous flux and specific flux for total mercury and methylmercury in the

filtered and particulate phase, and dissolved organic carbon flux and specific flux

for Salmon River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 9,

2009, to October 26, 2011 ...........................................................................................................14

8. Instantaneous flux and specific flux for total mercury and methylmercury in the

filtered and particulate phase, and dissolved organic carbon flux and specific flux

for Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009,

to October 26, 2011 .....................................................................................................................15

9. Concentrations of total mercury in streambed sediments collected at Rink Creek,

Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska,

May 24, 2010 ................................................................................................................................15

10. Taxonomy, trophic position, and mercury concentrations in benthic

macroinvertebrates from Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay

National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2010 and 2011.............................................................16

11. Methylmercury and total mercury concentrations (wet weight and dry weight) in

juvenile coho salmon samples from Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River,

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2010 and 2011.......................................16

12. Concentrations of total dissolved solids, major anions, and major cations from

water samples collected at Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay

National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2010..............................................................................17

13. Concentrations of ammonia, nitrogen and phosphorus species, dissolved iron, and

dissolved manganese from water samples collected at Rink Creek, Salmon River,

and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2010 ..........................17

Tables—Continued
v

Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations and 

Acronyms

Conversion Factors

Multiply By To obtain

Length

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.)

millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch (in.)

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

Area

square kilometer (km2) 247.1 acre

square kilometer (km2) 0.3861 square mile (mi2)

Volume

liter (L) 1.057 quart (qt)

liter (L) 0.2642 gallon (gal)

Flow rate

cubic meter per second (m3/s) 35.31 cubic foot per second (ft3/s)

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

°F= (1.8×°C)+32.

Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given either in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

or micrograms per liter (μg/L).

Datums

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Elevation, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.
vi

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Certain measurements used in this report are given only in metric units:

ng/L nanogram per liter

ng/s nanogram per second

ng/s/km2 nanograms per second per square kilometer

ng/g nanograms per gram

L/mg C * m liters per milligram carbon times meter

GBNPP Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

BMI benthic macroinvertebrates

BTHg biota total mercury

DOC dissolved organic carbon

FMHg filtered methylmercury

FTHg filtered total mercury

HCl hydrochloric acid

Hg mercury

HgT total mercury

MeHg methylmercury

MDN Mercury Deposition Network

MRL Mercury Research Laboratory

NWIS National Water Information System

PTHg particulate total mercury

SUVA specific ultraviolet absorbance

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

UVA ultraviolet absorbance

Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations and 

Acronyms—Continued
Abstract

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP), 

Alaska, like many pristine high latitude areas, is exposed to 

atmospherically deposited contaminants such as mercury 

(Hg). Although the harmful effects of Hg are well established, 

information on this contaminant in southeast Alaska is scarce. 

Here, we assess the level of this contaminant in several aquatic 

components (water, sediments, and biological tissue) in three 

adjacent, small streams in GBNPP that drain contrasting 

landscapes but receive similar atmospheric inputs: Rink Creek, 

Salmon River, and Good River.

Twenty water samples were collected from 2009 to 

2011 and processed and analyzed for total mercury and 

methylmercury (filtered and particulate), and dissolved organic 

carbon quantity and quality. Ancillary stream water parameters 

(discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and 

temperature) were measured at the time of sampling. Major 

cations, anions, and nutrients were measured four times. In 

addition, total mercury was analyzed in streambed sediment in 

2010 and in juvenile coho salmon and several taxa of benthic 

macroinvertebrates in the early summer of 2010 and 2011.

Introduction

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant, dispersed over broad 

scales by atmospheric mixing and reaching remote areas 

where it is neither used nor produced (Nriagu and Pacyna, 

1988; Fitzgerald and others, 1998). It is carried to Alaska by 

long-range atmospheric pathways (Schroeder and Munthe, 

1998), and, upon deposition, it may be methylated and 

biomagnified as it passes up trophic levels (Wiener and others, 

2003).

Although Hg emissions in the United States have 

decreased in recent decades, global emissions continue to 

increase, particularly in Asia (Pacyna and others, 2010). 

Specifically, China has been increasing its coal combustion 

by 12 percent per year since 2000, accounting for 46 percent 

of the world’s use (Bradsher and Barboza, 2006; U.S. Energy 

Information Administration, 2012). Models show that much 

of the Hg released as a by-product of this coal combustion 

is carried atmospherically to the northern Pacific Ocean and 

northwest coast of North America (Dastoor and Larocque, 

2004; Sunderland and others, 2009). Currently (2012), 

anthropogenic mercury deposition to Alaska appears to be 

similar in magnitude to that in temperate latitudes although 

local sources are minimal and scarce (Fitzgerald and others, 

2005).

Little is known about Hg contamination in southern 

Alaska, even though available evidence indicates that 

the region increasingly is accumulating this toxin from 

atmospheric deposition or from biovectors from distant 

sources (Engstrom and Swain, 1997; Day and others, 2006). 

A National Park Service contaminant survey conducted 

in the region in 2007 provided an initial evaluation of Hg 

distribution in water, sediment, macroinvertebrate, and 

juvenile coho salmon (Nagorski and others, 2011). This 

project determined that, streams draining older, wetland-rich 

landscapes generally had higher total Hg and methylmercury 

(MeHg) concentrations than young, glacier-fed or recently 

deglaciated streams. The 2007 survey was based on a singleevent sampling and, therefore, trends were not examined.

Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Rink Creek,

Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National

Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

By Sonia A. Nagorski1, Edward G. Neal2, and Timothy P. Brabets2

1

University of Alaska Southeast

2

U.S. Geological Survey
2 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

Purpose and Scope

With this project, we aimed to evaluate the temporal 

dynamics of Hg in three adjacent streams draining different 

landscape types—peatland-rich, peatland-forest mixed, and 

forest or meadow only. The main objectives of this study are 

to (1) measure Hg concentrations in water, sediment, and biota 

of three streams in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve 

(GBNPP), Alaska, and to assess differences in Hg and MeHg 

(if any) among the streams, (2) examine the extent of temporal 

variation in concentrations and fluxes of total Hg and MeHg 

in the streams over an annual time period, and (3) provide a 

detailed baseline dataset for three streams in GBNPP to which 

future contaminant monitoring efforts may be compared.

This report contains water-quality and climate data 

collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other 

agencies from November 2009 to October 2011 at three stream 

sites, one atmospheric deposition site, and one climate station 

in GBNPP. Because some of the data presently (2012) cannot 

be stored in the USGS National Water Information System 

(NWIS), this report provides a single source to disseminate 

data that might not otherwise be available to the public.

Description of Study Area

The three study watersheds are directly adjacent to one 

another and located along the southeastern border of GBNPP 

and the town of Gustavus (fig. 1A). The Good River and 

about 10 percent of the Salmon River lie within the Gustavus 

forelands, a broad, low-elevation and low-relief area about 

14 km in width (fig. 1B). The forelands are bordered to the 

west by a northeast-trending terminal moraine, formed about 

250 years ago at the culmination of glacial ice advance during 

the Little Ice Age (Connor and others, 2009). To the east, the 

Gustavus forelands are flanked by the northwest-trending 

Excursion Ridge, which has been free of ice cover for about 

13,000 years and rises to an elevation of about 1,050 m. 

Excursion Ridge is composed of upper Silurian rocks of the 

Alexander terrane—mostly limestones and mudstones of the 

Tidal Formation—that are covered by thick peat deposits and 

contain little forest cover (Rossman, 1963). The Gustavus 

forelands are composed of about 1,000 years of glacial 

deposits (largely outwash sands and silts) that overlay uplifted 

shallow marine sediments (Streveler, 1996).

The headwaters of the Good River originate from the 

terminal moraine, and flow through a mixture of spruce forest, 

horsetail, and herbaceous wet meadow. The Salmon River, 

located between Good River and Rink Creek, collects flow 

from the peatland-rich Excursion Ridge through a major upper 

tributary, and from the spruce forest and wet meadow zones 

of the Gustavus forelands. Rink Creek collects most of its 

flow from Excursion Ridge. Rink Creek is a sandy-bottomed, 

organic-rich stream typical of many peatland drainages 

across southeastern Alaska. Peat accumulations in coastal 

southeastern Alaska commonly are greater than 1 m deep, and 

this likely is true for Excursion Ridge (Fellman and others, 

2007).

Of the three streams, the Salmon River is the largest 

and is the best supporter of established anadromous fish runs, 

including coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), chum (O. keta), 

and pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) as well as Dolly Varden 

(Salvelinus malma malma) and steelhead trout (O. mykiss)

(Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 2005). The Good 

River supports coho and chum salmon, and Rink Creek hosts 

coho and pink salmon, cutthroat trout, and Dolly Varden. 

Stream sampling locations, stream lengths, and elevations are 

provided in table 1.

The percentage of each watershed covered by wetlands 

varies from 19 percent to 59 percent according to delineations 

by the National Wetlands Inventory Classification (U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife, variously dated) (table 2, fig. 2). The wetlands 

in the Gustavus Forelands, which include all of the Good 

River wetlands and about 10 percent of the Salmon River 

wetlands, are much younger with thinner organic matter 

deposits compared with the thick peatland accumulations that 

blanket Excursion Ridge in the Rink Creek and Salmon River 

watersheds.

Climate

The study area has a wet, moderate marine climate owing 

to frequent weak high-pressure systems in the summer and the 

dominance of a strong Aleutian Low in the northern Gulf of 

Alaska in the autumn, winter, and spring. According to records 

dating back to 1950 from the National Weather Service 

climate station at Gustavus (National Oceanic Atmospheric 

Association, variously dated), January is the coldest month, 

with an average temperature of -4.0 degrees Celsius (°C), and 

July is the warmest month, with an average temperature of 

12.8°C. Average annual temperature is 4.8°C. Mean annual 

precipitation is 141 cm, and average annual snowfall is 

193 cm. The area typically has intermittent snowpack near sea 

level and continuous snow cover at elevations above 300 m 

during winter and early spring. Figures 3 and 4 show the 

daily precipitation and air temperature maxima and minima in 

Gustavus during the period of sampling.
Description of Study Area 3

tac11-5202_fig 01a

BRITISH COLUMBIA

ALASKA

Admiralty

Island

GLACIER BAY

NATIONAL PARK

 AND PRESERVE

138o 60o

58o

56o

134o 130o

PA C I F I C

O C E A N

Skagway

Juneau 

Sitka

Ketchikan

Gustavus

0 25 50 Miles

0 25 50 Kilometers

A.

Map area

Map area

figure 1b

ALASKA

Base map modified from Brew, 2008. Projection: Alaska 

Equal Area, SP1: 55°, SP2: 65 °, CM: 154°, LO: 50°; 

horizontal datum is North American Datum of 1983. 

Figure 1. Locations of (A) Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and (B) aerial image of Rink 

Creek, Salmon River, and Good River watersheds and sampling sites, Alaska.
4 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

tac11-5202_fig 01b

Good River

Rink Creek

Salmon River

Gustavus forelands

Excursion Ridge

Gustavus

Bartlett Cove

Icy Passage

Watershed area

EXPLANATION

Sampling site 0 1 2 Miles

0 1 2 Kilometers

B.

Landsat Thematic Mapper Image for Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, accessed September 1, 2012, at https://irma.nps.gov/App/Reference/Profile/1040856. 

Hydrography from National Hydrographic Dataset. Projection: Alaska Equal Area, SP1: 55°, SP2: 65 °, CM: 154°, LO: 50°; horizontal datum is North American Datum 

135°55' 135°50' 135°45' 135°40' 135°35'

58°

35'

58°

30'

58°

25'

58°

20'

Good River Good River

Rink

Creek

Rink

Creek

SALMON RIVERSALMON RIVER

SALMON

RIVER

SALMON

RIVER

Figure 1.—Continued
Description of Study Area 5

tac11-5202_fig02

Good River

Salmon River

Rink Creek

Wetland classification

EXPLANATION

Freshwater Emergent Wetland

Freshwater Forested/Shrub Wetland

Pond

Sampling site

0 0.5 1 Mile

0 0.5 1 Kilometer

0 1 3 Miles

0 1

2

2 3 Kilometers

0 0.5 1 Miles

0 0.5 1 Kilometers

Base map modified from USGS and other digital data 

sources, various scales. Projection: Alaska Equal Area, 

SP1: 55°, SP2: 65 °, CM: 154°, LO: 50°; horizontal 

datum is North American Datum of 1983. 

Figure 2. Wetland delineations within Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River watersheds, Glacier Bay National Park and 

Preserve, Alaska. (National Wetlands Inventory maps)
6 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

tac11-5202_fig03

O DN J F M M J J A A S O DN J F M M J J A A S O DN 0

20

40

60

2009 2010 2011

80

Precipitation, in millimeters

Long-term daily average precipitation

for period of record

Daily average precipitation 

Figure 3. Daily and long-term average precipitation for Gustavus, Alaska, October 2009–December 2011.

Table 1. Physical characteristics of Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River watersheds, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, 

Alaska.

[Locations of sampling sites are shown in figure 1B. Abbreviations: km, kilometer; m, meter; NAD 83, North American Datum of 1983]

Site name USGS

site No.

Latitude

(NAD 83)

Longitude

(NAD 83)

Stream

length (km)

Max watershed

elevation (m)

Elevation at

site (m)

Rink Creek 15057593 58°26'32" 135°40'24" 4.9 450 27.4

Salmon River 15057596 58°26'44" 135°44'25" 7.5 1,039 34.7

Good River 15057598 58°27'02" 135°47'17" 4.7 58 16.8

Table 2. Watershed areas and wetland coverage of Rink Creek, Salmon River, 

and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

[Locations of sampling sites are shown in figure 1B. Abbreviation: km2, square kilometer]

Site name Area

(km2

)

Freshwater (km2

)

Wetland total

(percent of 

total area) Emergent 

wetland

Forested/

shrub 

wetland

Pond

Rink Creek 16.9 4.38 5.54 0.00 59

Salmon River 86.0 9.50 22.61 0.23 37

Good River 6.1 0.65 0.49 0.00 19
Description of Study Area 7

Local Atmospheric Mercury Deposition

During much of the study period, the National Park 

Service operated a Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) site 

in nearby Bartlett Cove (Station AK05), located 3–18 km from 

the study watersheds. Weekly wet deposition samples were 

collected following MDN procedures (http://nadp.sws.uiuc.

edu/MDN/MDNfield.aspx) and analyzed for total mercury 

beginning in late March, 2010 (with 6 weeks of missing data). 

Data from these samples are available through the National 

Atmospheric Deposition Program (2012) and are listed in 

table 3.

Figure 4. Daily maximum and minimum air temperature and long-term average daily maximum and minimum air 

temperature for Gustavus, Alaska, October 2009–December 2011.

tac11-5202_fig04

O DN J F M M J J A A S O DN J F M M J J A A S O DN

2009 2010 2011

-30

-20

-10

0

10

30

20

Air temperature, in degrees Celsius

Daily maximum 

Long-term average daily maximum

for period of record

Daily minimum 

Long-term average daily minimum

for period of record

Our compilation of the data provided at Bartlett 

Cove indicates that a weekly average of 50 nanograms per 

square meter (ng/m2) of total Hg was deposited at the site 

when MDN collections overlapped with our study (March 

2010–November 1, 2011). Mean Hg concentration was 

2.94 nanograms per liter (ng/L) (n=77); however, volumeweighted concentrations were lower, with a mean of 

1.56 ng/L.
8 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

Date and Time Precipitation

(mm)

Sample

volume

(mL)

Mercury

concentration

(ng/L)

Mercury

deposition

(ng/m2

)

03-24-2010, 0230 44.5 418.1 0.95 42.2

03-30-2010, 2030 25.7 277.7 1.03 26.4

04-01-2010, 0230 1.3 – – –

04-06-2010, 2325 11.9 123.0 3.02 36.1

04-13-2010, 1757 6.1 49.4 2.46 15.0

04-21-2010, 0230 30.0 331.0 1.83 54.9

04-27-2010, 2110 8.1 83.3 6.66 54.1

05-05-2010, 0225 4.8 37.0 3.33 16.1

05-12-2010, 0010 1.5 12.8 10.75 16.4

05-18-2010, 1815 12.5 133.5 3.93 48.9

05-26-2010, 0005 2.3 10.8 15.04 34.4

06-01-2010, 1835 5.8 63.1 8.60 50.2

06-09-2010, 0200 6.1 75.6 3.15 19.2

06-16-2010, 0105 5.6 70.2 7.20 40.2

06-24-2010, 0440 68.6 796.3 1.27 87.1

06-29-2010, 2245 14.5 164.4 1.36 19.7

07-06-2010, 1925 53.9 620.7 1.72 92.6

07-13-2010, 1950 22.9 236.6 5.45 124.6

07-20-2010, 1820 12.7 141.6 3.44 43.7

07-27-2010, 1837 21.3 259.3 1.89 40.3

08-03-2010, 1750 9.7 109.2 2.28 22.0

08-10-2010, 2105 24.1 263.6 2.13 51.4

08-18-2010, 0120 5.1 52.7 4.83 24.5

08-24-2010, 2345 36.6 432.5 1.29 47.2

09-01-2010, 0210 25.9 269.7 2.54 65.8

09-07-2010, 2320 47.8 537.4 0.87 41.5

09-14-2010, 2050 9.9 125.6 2.71 26.9

09-28-2010, 2140 79.5 878.2 0.78 62.0

10-05-2010, 1825 84.8 1,035.7 0.75 63.6

10-13-2010, 0110 59.7 744.3 0.79 47.2

10-19-2010, 1815 102.1 1,275.7 – –

10-27-2010, 0100 6.6 58.0 0.85 5.6

11-03-2010, 0210 69.3 826.0 0.76 52.7

11-10-2010, 0105 72.9 839.0 1.86 135.6

11-17-2010, 0140 63.3 716.9 0.81 51.2

11-23-2010, 1855 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.0

11-30-2010, 2300 59.9 697.9 1.10 65.9

12-07-2010, 2140 66.6 536.0 0.87 57.9

12-14-2010, 2350 12.2 128.7 1.31 16.0

01-04-2011, 2000 47.8 481.2 1.03 49.2

Table 3. Mercury concentration in wet deposition and mercury deposition from weekly samples 

collected at the Mercury Deposition Network collection site at Bartlett Cove, Alaska, March 24, 

2010, to November 1, 2011.

[Abbreviations: mm, millimeters; mL, milliliters; ng/L, nanograms per liter; ng/m2, nanograms per square meter; 

–, missing data]
Description of Study Area 9

Table 3. Mercury concentration in wet deposition and mercury deposition from weekly samples .

collected at the Mercury Deposition Network collection site at Bartlett Cove, Alaska, March 24, 

2010, to November 1, 2011.—Continued

[Abbreviations: mm, millimeters; mL, milliliters; ng/L, nanograms per liter; ng/m2, nanograms per square meter; 

–, missing data]

Date and Time Precipitation

(mm)

Sample

volume

(mL)

Mercury

concentration

(ng/L)

Mercury

deposition

(ng/m2

)

01-11-2011, 1900 16.0 177.9 0.91 14.6

01-19-2011, 0050 16.3 56.9 3.16 51.4

01-26-2011, 1745 112.8 1,167.4 1.24 139.8

02-08-2011, 1905 59.2 659.1 1.50 88.8

02-15-2011, 2000 87.9 914.0 0.80 70.3

03-01-2011, 1930 5.6 7.8 10.40 58.2

03-17-2011, 2249 22.4 300.5 1.20 26.8

03-29-2011, 1815 2.3 9.3 6.53 14.9

04-05-2011, 2325 32.8 350.9 0.65 21.4

04-12-2011, 2030 46.2 511.1 0.95 43.9

04-20-2011, 0110 7.1 88.2 3.03 21.6

04-26-2011, 2145 7.6 49.2 2.70 20.6

05-04-2011, 0130 7.4 57.2 4.52 33.3

05-11-2011, 0120 45.2 447.0 1.41 64.0

05-18-2011, 0135 8.6 148.4 2.41 20.8

05-24-2011, 1855 15.2 142.7 6.89 105.1

06-01-2011, 0355 7.4 87.4 7.84 57.8

06-07-2011, 2250 5.1 42.0 11.11 56.5

06-14-2011, 1850 1.3 21.5 9.81 12.5

06-22-2011, 0150 4.8 35.3 1.78 8.6

06-29-2011, 0140 3.6 38.7 2.77 9.9

07-06-2011, 0155 23.6 258.2 2.64 62.4

07-13-2011, 0205 4.8 42.7 3.51 17.0

07-20-2011, 0050 6.1 64.9 2.39 14.6

07-26-2011, 2013 16.8 181.0 3.15 52.9

08-02-2011, 2143 25.2 282.9 1.37 34.7

08-09-2011, 2222 23.9 276.8 3.80 90.8

08-17-2011, 0050 85.9 1,015.4 1.06 91.0

08-24-2011, 0135 110.2 1,373.9 1.21 133.9

08-30-2011, 2250 42.7 470.9 1.36 58.1

09-07-2011, 0340 76.2 862.9 1.63 124.4

09-13-2011, 1645 23.9 304.7 2.43 58.1

09-20-2011, 2035 23.3 279.2 2.20 51.3

09-27-2011, 1830 66.6 738.6 1.06 71.0

10-04-2011, 2205 39.6 450.0 1.04 41.2

10-11-2011, 1825 17.0 166.1 1.80 30.7

10-18-2011, 2209 52.3 616.5 0.86 45.3

10-25-2011, 2125 33.8 360.9 1.13 38.4

11-01-2011, 2040 115.3 1,365.2 0.75 87.2
10 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

Field and Analytical Methods

Grab samples of water were collected at the same 

location at each stream 20 times between November 2009 and 

October 2011. Collection dates primarily were dictated by 

favorable weather conditions for flight access to the sites from 

Juneau, although generally we targeted one monthly sample 

during the first year and maximum hydrologic variability 

during the second year.

Hg and MeHg exposure in stream biota were assessed 

by collecting benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI) and resident 

fish. As primary consumers, BMI represent one of the lowest 

trophic levels for pollutants to enter into and biomagnify 

within aquatic food webs. Juvenile coho salmon that likely 

had not yet migrated out of their natal streams were targeted, 

with the aim of identifying a watershed-specific Hg signal in 

their tissues. Single streambed sediment samples also were 

collected at each stream site once in May 2010. Because 

streambed sediments, BMI, and fish are present together 

in small areas for extended periods of time, they integrate 

pollutants that may not be detected during standard water 

sampling, either because the pollutant is not present at 

detectable levels or is present intermittently (Krabbenhoft and 

others, 1999).

Water samples were collected by wading in the streams 

and using the best visual approximation of depth- and 

width-integrated conditions. Mercury water samples were 

collected in triple-rinsed, 2-L polyethylene terephthalate 

bottles, positioning the bottle upstream. The samples were 

then stored on ice, followed by clean filtration (through 

about 0.7 microgram [mm] ashed quartz fiber filters) and 

acidification (0.2 percent of sample volume) with ultraclean 

hydrochloric acid (HCl). Filtration was done the same day 

using a portable, metal-free filter apparatus. All pre-cleaned 

filtration equipment was provided by the USGS Mercury 

Research Laboratory (MRL) in Madison, Wisconsin. 

Particulate Hg was measured by analysis of filters through 

which 1 L of sample was passed. Additional water samples 

were filtered into amber glass bottles for dissolved organic 

carbon (DOC) analysis. Collection and processing procedures 

of samples for nutrients and major cations and anions followed 

USGS National Field Manual protocols (U.S. Geological 

Survey, variously dated).

Streambed sediment was collected by scraping several 

grams of the approximate top 1 cm of fine, unsieved sediment 

into a Teflon® vial. Mayfly nymphs or instars were dislodged 

from the streambed by foot and collected in a net. As many 

as 100 nymphs or instars from each family and stream were 

picked into a Teflon® vial. Seven to 10 juvenile coho salmon 

were captured at each site with a hand net or in baited 

minnow traps, and also were stored in small Teflon® vials. 

All samples were double-bagged, stored on ice, and handled 

by personnel wearing clean nitrile gloves. Sediment and 

biological specimens were frozen within 2 days. The age of 

the juvenile coho salmon—likely either 1 or 2 years old—was 

not determined, although lengths were recorded; they were not 

young-of-the-year (fry), but, instead, were parr or smolts.

A Yellow Springs Instrument model 6920 multiparameter sondeTM was used to measure water temperature, 

dissolved-oxygen concentration, specific conductance, 

turbidity, and pH at the time of sampling. The sonde was 

calibrated using known standards before sample collection. 

Discharge measurements, using a wading rod and Price current 

meter, also were made at the time of sampling following 

methods outlined by Turnipseed and Sauer (2010).

Analytical Methods for Mercury

All Hg analyses were done at the USGS MRL. Aqueous 

total Hg (HgT) analysis followed U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (USEPA) Method 1631 (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2002). Aqueous MeHg 

analyses were performed following standard distillation and 

ethylation procedures described in detail elsewhere (Horvat 

and Bloom, 1993; DeWild and others, 2001), followed by 

analysis by cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. 

Particulate, sediment, and biological tissue samples were 

analyzed for HgT and MeHg using the procedures described 

above; however, for each of these solid-phase samples, 

a solubilization step was first conducted to transform the 

sample into an aqueous state. For HgT in sediments and 

particulates, about 100 mg of homogenized, dried sample 

was digested in aqua regia (a mixture of nitric acid and 

hydrochloric acid) (Olund and others, 2004), whereas MeHg 

in sediment and particulates were solubilized with methylene 

chloride and heat (DeWild and others, 2004). Fish tissues 

and benthic invertebrates were digested in Teflon® bombs (a 

teflon container fitted in a steel jacket) using a concentrated 

mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids (5:2 volume-to-volume 

ratio) and were placed in an oven at 75°C for 2 hours. For 

MeHg solubilization of benthic invertebrates, a weak nitric 

acid method was used that included heating to 60°C in an 

oven and subsequent neutralization with potassium hydroxide 

(Hammerschmidt and Fitzgerald, 2006).

Quality Assurance for Mercury Analyses

Reference materials for HgT were within

97–103 percent (mean=100 percent, n=3) of the reported 

values for fish analyses, 85–115 percent (mean=93 percent, 

n=11) for macroinvertebrate analyses, 66–120 percent 

(mean=94 percent, n=35) for particulates, and 100–

112 percent (mean=104 percent, n=5) for sediments. For 

MeHg, reference materials were recovered at 84–109 percent 

(mean=94 percent, n=9) for macroinvertebrates and 

71–122 percent (mean=99 percent, n=15) for particulates.
Mercury and Water-Quality Data 11

The percent relative standard deviation of triplicate 

sample analyses of HgT and MeHg in biological tissues 

averaged 6.0 percent and 5.9 percent (n=6 for each), 

respectively, and 2.9 percent for triplicate runs of HgT in 

sediment. Each water sample was run in duplicate for HgT, 

and the average difference between runs was 0.6 percent 

(n=64). Spike recoveries on filtered HgT averaged 99.7 percent 

(n=47) and 103 percent (n=47) on filtered MeHg.

One field filtration blank was collected that was less than 

the detection limit for all mercury parameters: filtered total and 

MeHg, as well as particulate total and MeHg. In one sample 

(Salmon River, May 14, 2010), the filtered methylmercury 

(FMHg) value was greater than the filtered total mercury 

(FTHg) value; this sample was discarded from the dataset.

The mercury detection limit was between 1–2 nanograms 

per gram (ng/g) for benthic macroinvertebrates; 0.4–3.4 ng/g 

for fish samples; 0.02–0.1 ng/L for particulate HgT; 0.006 ng/L

for particulate MeHg; 0.8 ng/g for sediment HgT; and between 

0.02–0.04 ng/L for filtered HgT and MeHg.

Field duplicates of water samples were collected 

four times over the 2-year sampling period. The average 

discrepancy between the samples was 0.06 ng/L for filtered 

HgT; 0.01 ng/L for filtered MeHg; 0.27/ng L for particulate 

HgT; and 0.002 ng/L for particulate MeHg. A field duplicate of 

juvenile coho samples was collected from the Salmon River 

during the 2011 collection, and variation between samples was 

5 percent for HgT and 8 percent for MeHg.

Analytical Methods for Other Water-Quality 

Parameters

DOC was measured within 2 days of receipt using the 

platinum catalyzed persulphate wet oxidation method (Aiken, 

1992) on an O.I. Analytical Model 700 TOC Analyzer at the 

USGS National Research Program laboratory in Boulder, 

Colorado. Ultraviolet (UV)-Visible absorbance measurements 

were made on a Hewlett-Packard Model 8453TM photo-diode 

array spectrophotometer every 1 nanometer (nm) between 

200 and 800 nm. Specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) 

values (Weishaar and others, 2003), defined as the UV 

absorbance of the sample measured at a given wavelength 

divided by the DOC concentration, were calculated at 254 nm 

and are reported in units of liters per milligrams carbon 

times meter ([L/(mg C *m)]) by normalizing to a 1-m path 

length. Ultraviolet analyses were completed within 2 weeks 

of collection. Major ions and nutrients were analyzed at 

the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory in Denver, 

Colorado, using standard techniques (Fishman and Friedman, 

1989).

Mercury and Water-Quality Data

The data have been compiled and are provided in tables 

4–13. Field parameters collected at the time of sampling 

(discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance), 

DOC, ultraviolet absorbance (UVA), and SUVA values are 

given in table 4. Filtered and particulate HgT and MeHg 

concentrations for the water samples are given in table 5. Note 

that concentrations for filtered methymercury (FMHg) and 

particulate methylmercury (PMHg) in a number of samples 

were less than the detection limit. 

The instantaneous and specific fluxes for HgT and MeHg 

(filtered and particulate), and for DOC for each site are given 

in tables 6–8. Note that flux calculations were made only for 

samples with detectable mercury concentrations.

Concentrations of bed sediment, collected once on 

May 14, 2010, and analyzed for HgT, are given in table 9. The 

results of benthic macroinvertebrate sampling in 2010 and 

2011 are shown in table 10. In 2010, the macroinvertebrates 

were analyzed only for MeHg, but in 2011, they were 

analyzed for MeHg and HgT. In 2010, two genera were 

collected: a caddisfly (Onocosmoecus, Limnephilidae) and 

a mayfly (Baetis bicaudatus and B. tricaudatus, Baetidae). 

In June 2011, the same two taxa were collected in the study 

streams, except Baetis tricaudatus was not found in Good 

River. Three additional mayfly taxa were collected in Rink 

Creek and Salmon River for Hg analyses: Cinygmula,

Ameletus, and Drunella grandis (Ephemerellidae). The mayfly 

Epeorus grandis (Heptageniidae) was collected only in 

Salmon River in 2011 and was combined with the Cinygmula

(Heptageniidae) sample.

The results of juvenile coho salmon sampling in 2010 and 

2011 are shown in table 11. In 2010, samples were analyzed 

only for HgT, but in 2011, the samples were analyzed for 

MeHg and HgT. Note that the samples were of non- uniform 

length, and that the ages of fish were undetermined (length 

alone does not determine age and, therefore, does not 

determine mercury exposure).

Concentrations of major anions, cations, and nutrients 

were measured four times in 2010 to obtain background waterquality information on Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good 

River. Results are provided in tables 12 and 13.
12 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011 Table 4. Discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, dissolved organic carbon, ultraviolet absorbance, and specific ultraviolet absorbance in water samples collected at Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009, to October 26, 2011. [The number in parentheses (below each constituent) is used by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey to identify parameters in computerized databases. Abbreviations: Q, discharge; DO, dissolved oxygen; SC, specific conductance; DOC, dissolved organic carbon; UVA, ultraviolet absorbance; SUVA, specific ultraviolet absorbance; m3/s, cubic meters per second, mg/L, milligrams per liter: μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; nm, nanometer; L/mg C*m, liter per milligrams carbon times meter; NA, not available due to loss of sample or lack of measurement; E, estimated] Rink Creek Salmon River Good River Date

Q

(m3/s)

(00061)

pH

(units)

(00400)

DO

(mg/L)

(00300)

SC

(μS/cm)

(00095)

DOC

(mg/L)

(00681)

UVA

(254 nm)

(50624)

SUVA

(L/mg C*m)

(63162)

Q

(m3/s)

(00061)

pH

(units)

(00400)

DO

(mg/L)

(00300)

SC

(μS/cm)

(00095)

DOC

(mg/L)

(00681)

UVA

(254 nm)

(50624)

SUVA

(L/mg C*m)

(63162)

Q

(m3/s)

(00061)

pH

(units)

(00400)

DO

(mg/L)

(00300)

SC

(μS/cm)

(00095)

DOC

(mg/L)

(00681)

UVA

(254 nm)

(50624)

SUVA

(L/mg C*m)

(63162)

11-09-2009 0.20 7.7 11.3 153 5.6 0.259 4.6 3.37 8.1 11.0 278 2.6 0.106 4 0.03 7.9 9.1 308 2.7 NA NA12-07-2009 0.19 7.1 12.4 173 4.8 0.195 4.1 1.98 7.6 11.4 397 2.2 0.07 3.1 0.03 7.4 10.4 301 2.8 NA NA01-26-2010 0.19 7.6 12.4 154 4.8 0.207 4.3 1.50 7.9 11.2 372 2 0.064 3.2 0.03 7.7 10.2 294 2.7 0.106 4

02-23-2010 0.22 7.3 12.7 142 5.2 0.217 4.2 1.98 7.8 11.7 307 2.2 0.082 3.7 0.03 7.5 9.7 292 2.7 0.147 5.403-16-2010 0.54 7.6 13.0 87 6.5 0.29 4.4 2.61 7.8 11.9 230 4.7 0.186 4 0.06 7.8 10.2 259 3 0.125 4.204-22-2010 0.65 7 11.8 69 7.9 NA NA 6.23 7.6 12.0 140 4.1 NA NA 0.06 7.5 8.9 269 2.4 NA NA

05-14-2010 0.08 7.6 11.0 171 4.7 0.182 3.9 3.12 7.8 12.0 193 1.6 0.049 3.1 0.01 7.7 9.1 315 2.5 0.065 2.605-25-2010 0.05 7.6 10.1 205 4.6 0.199 4.3 4.59 7.9 11.9 154 1 0.033 3.4 0.01 7.7 8.4 307 2.7 0.098 3.606-10-2010 0.02 7.8 9.6 297 NA NA NA 2.27 7.9 11.2 199 NA NA NA 0.01 7.8 9.2 326 NA NA NA

07-26-2010 0.34 7.3 10.0 120 8.7 0.392 4.5 4.25 7.7 10.9 186 2.8 0.111 3.9 0.03 7.3 8.8 328 2.5 0.067 2.709-07-2010 0.31 7.9 9.4 138 9.5 0.413 4.3 2.58 8.2 10.0 246 4.1 0.163 3.9 0.03 7.9 7.7 340 2.6 0.089 3.410-06-2010 0.88 7.2 10.5 81 10.8 0.471 4.4 9.71 7.7 11.0 151 5.5 0.212 3.9 0.09 7.6 8.8 262 3.5 0.122 3.511-16-2010 0.42 7.4 11.9 137 7.2 0.29 4.1 4.02 7.8 11.4 305 3.1 0.095 3.1 0.05 7.6 9.8 285 3.4 0.133 3.9

01-11-2011 0.12 7.4 12.3 186 5.4 0.24 4.4 1.27 7.9 11.2 395 2.1 0.075 3.5 0.03 7.6 10.6 316 2.7 0.073 2.705-03-2011 0.57 7.1 12.3 75 NA NA NA 5.18 7.5 12.4 136 5.3 0.217 4.1 0.03 7.5 9.5 309 2.6 0.112 4.3

05-16-2011 0.27 7.3 10.9 119 6.3 0.292 4.6 4.76 7.6 12.1 187 1.8 0.076 4.2 0.03 7.4 8.9 312 2.2 0.097 4.506-21-2011 0.05 7.7 9.8 232 5.1 0.216 4.3 2.49 NA 11.1 216 1.1 0.035 3.1 0.01 7.6 9.3 332 2.4 0.064 2.6

07-26-2011 0.82 7.2 10.6 62 14.6 0.657 4.5 3.29 7.5 10.2 119 8.9 0.373 4.2 0.03 7.4 8.4 342 NA NA NA

09-22-2011 2.41 6.2 10.2 55 12 0.553 4.6 16.65 6.9 10.9 107 7.6 0.348 4.6 0.19 7.4 9.1 223 3.7 0.122 3.310-26-2011 E4.8 NA NA NA 10.6 0.485 4.6 E33.3 NA NA NA 8.6 0.379 4.4 E0.37 NA NA NA 3.0 0.086 2.8
Mercury and Water-Quality Data 13

Table 5. Filtered and particulate total mercury and methylmercury concentrations, and the percent of total mercury occurring in the filtered phase, in water samples collected at Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009, to October 26, 2011.[The number in parentheses (below each constituent) is used by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey to identify parameters in computerized databases. Values in italic indicate 

that concentration is less than the detection limit of 0.04 ng/L. Abbreviations: FTHg, filtered total mercury; FMHg, filtered methylmercury; PTHg, particulate total mercury; PMHg, particulate methymercury; HgT, total mercury; ng/L, nanogram per liter; NA, not available due to loss of sample or lack of collection; E, estimated; <, less than]

Rink Creek Salmon River Good River

Date

FTHg

(ng/L)

(50287)

FMHg 

(ng/L)

(50285)

PTHg

(ng/L)

(62976)

PMHg

(ng/L)

(62977)

HgT, filtered 

(percent)

FTHg

(ng/L)

(50287)

FMHg

(ng/L)

(50285)

PTHg

(ng/L)

(62976)

PMHg

(ng/L)

(62977)

HgT, filtered 

(percent)

FTHg

(ng/L)

(50287)

FMHg

(ng/L)

(50285)

PTHg

(ng/L)

(62976)

PMHg

(ng/L)

(62977)

HgT, filtered 

(percent)

11-09-2009 1.24 <0.04 0.42 0.01 75 0.59 <0.04 0.09 <0.008 87 0.15 <0.04 0.10 0.08 60

12-07-2009 0.98 <0.04 0.23 0.01 81 0.45 <0.04 0.07 <0.008 87 0.17 <0.04 0.21 <0.008 44

01-26-2010 1.15 0.14 0.19 0.01 86 1.62 <0.04 0.12 <0.008 93 0.32 <0.04 <0.087 <0.014 88

02-23-2010 1.80 0.04 0.34 <0.008 84 0.59 <0.04 0.14 <0.010 81 0.50 <0.04 0.11 <0.007 82

03-16-2010 2.13 <0.04 0.37 NA 85 1.48 <0.04 0.11 NA 93 1.12 <0.04 0.20 <0.009 85

04-22-2010 2.29 0.05 0.21 NA 92 1.40 <0.04 0.34 NA 80 0.29 <0.04 0.75 NA 28

05-14-2010 1.12 0.04 0.16 <0.009 88 0.56 NA 0.10 <0.010 85 0.30 <<0.04 0.08 <0.010 79

05-25-2010 1.09 <0.04 0.10 NA 92 0.31 <0.04 0.09 <0.009 78 0.23 <0.04 0.09 <0.008 71

06-10-2010 0.76 0.04 0.12 0.01 87 0.33 <0.04 0.11 <0.009 75 0.17 <0.04 <0.061 <0.009 85

07-26-2010 2.10 0.09 0.60 <0.009 78 0.95 <0.04 0.30 <0.008 76 0.24 <0.04 0.58 NA 29

09-07-2010 1.85 0.16 0.47 0.01 80 1.10 0.05 0.28 <0.009 80 0.63 <0.04 0.26 <0.011 71

10-06-2010 2.49 0.09 0.91 0.01 73 1.50 0.05 0.66 <0.010 69 0.41 0.04 0.64 0.01 39

11-16-2010 1.48 0.05 0.23 <0.009 86 0.69 <0.04 0.20 <0.010 77 0.28 0.08 0.25 <0.009 53

01-11-2011 1.06 0.09 0.26 <0.007 81 0.49 <0.04 0.10 <0.009 83 0.19 <0.04 0.15 <0.010 56

05-03-2011 2.53 <0.04 0.81 0.01 76 1.81 <0.04 1.09 0.02 62 0.09 <0.04 0.65 0.01 12

05-16-2011 2.70 0.14 0.67 <0.010 80 1.03 <0.04 0.72 <0.009 59 0.42 <0.04 0.92 <0.009 31

06-21-2011 1.23 <0.04 E0.064 0.02 95 0.44 0.04 E0.089 <0.008 83 0.24 <0.04 0.25 <0.009 49

07-26-2011 3.93 0.05 1.00 0.02 80 2.48 <0.04 0.46 0.02 84 0.17 <0.04 0.21 <0.010 45

09-22-2011 3.87 <0.04 0.70 0.01 85 2.92 <0.04 0.83 0.01 78 0.55 <0.04 0.35 <0.006 61

10-26-2011 3.53 0.04 1.33 0.02 73 3.93 0.06 3.64 0.01 52 0.36 <0.04 0.60 <0.006 38
14 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

Table 6. Instantaneous flux and specific flux for total mercury and methylmercury in the filtered and particulate phase, and dissolved 

organic carbon flux and specific flux for Rink Creek, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009, to October 26, 

2011.

[Abbreviations: FTHg, filtered total mercury; FMHg, filtered methylmercury; PTHg, particulate total mercury; PMHg, particulate methylmercury; sp flux, 

specific flux; ng/s, nanograms per second; (ng/s)/km2, nanograms per second per square kilometer; BDL, below detection limit; NA, not available due to loss of 

sample or lack of collection; E, estimated]

Date FTHg flux 

(ng/s)

FTHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

FMHg flux 

(ng/s)

FMHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

PTHg flux 

(ng/s)

PTHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

PMHg flux 

(ng/s)

PMHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

DOC flux 

(ng/s)

DOC sp flux 

(ng/s/km2)

11-09-2009 246 19 BDL BDL 82 6 2.4 0.2 1,110 86

12-07-2009 183 14 BDL BDL 42 3 2.6 0.2 897 69

01-26-2010 215 17 26 2 36 3 1.7 0.1 897 69

02-23-2010 398 31 9 1 76 6 BDL BDL 1,149 89

03-16-2010 1,146 88 BDL BDL 196 15 BDL BDL 3,497 270

04-22-2010 1,491 115 33 3 135 10 BDL BDL 5,145 397

05-14-2010 92 7 3 0.3 13 1 BDL BDL 386 30

05-25-2010 59 5 BDL BDL 5 0.4 BDL BDL 247 19

06-10-2010 19 1 1 0.1 3 0.2 0.2 0.0 NA NA

07-26-2010 714 55 31 2 204 16 BDL BDL 2,956 228

09-07-2010 576 44 50 4 146 11 3.4 0.3 2,959 229

10-06-2010 2,186 169 79 6 794 61 9.7 0.7 9,480 732

11-16-2010 629 49 21 2 99 8 BDL BDL 3,058 236

01-11-2011 126 10 11 1 30 2 BDL BDL 642 50

05-03-2011 1,433 111 BDL BDL 460 36 7.9 0.6 NA NA

05-16-2011 726 56 38 3 179 14 BDL BDL 1,695 131

06-21-2011 66 5 BDL BDL BDL BDL 0.9 0.1 274 21

07-26-2011 3,227 249 41 3 821 63 19.7 1.5 11,989 926

09-22-2011 9,315 719 BDL BDL 1,673 129 28.9 2.2 28,883 2,230

10-26-2011 E17,000 E1,300 E190 E15 E6,400 E500 E90 E7.1 E51,000 E4,000

Table 7. Instantaneous flux and specific flux for total mercury and methylmercury in the filtered and particulate phase, and dissolved 

organic carbon flux and specific flux for Salmon River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009, to October 26, 

2011.

[Abbreviations: FTHg, filtered total mercury; FMHg, filtered methylmercury; PTHg, particulate total mercury; PMHg, particulate methylmercury; sp flux, 

specific flux; ng/s, nanograms per second; (ng/s)/km2, nanograms per second per square kilometer; BDL, below detection limit; NA, not available due to loss of 

sample or lack of collection; E, estimated]

Date FTHg flux 

(ng/s)

FTHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

FMHg flux 

(ng/s)

FMHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

PTHg flux 

(ng/s)

PTHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

PMHg flux 

(ng/s)

PMHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

DOC flux 

(ng/s)

DOC sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

11-09-2009 1,988 34 BDL BDL 310 24 BDL BDL 8,761 677

12-07-2009 892 15 BDL BDL 135 10 BDL BDL 4,361 337

01-26-2010 2,431 42 BDL BDL 180 14 BDL BDL 3,002 232

02-23-2010 1,169 20 BDL BDL 278 21 BDL BDL 4,361 337

03-16-2010 3,856 66 BDL BDL 289 22 NA NA 12,244 945

04-22-2010 8,722 150 BDL BDL 2,118 164 NA NA 25,542 1,972

05-14-2010 1,744 30 NA NA 318 25 BDL BDL 4,984 385

05-25-2010 1,422 25 BDL BDL 395 30 BDL BDL 4,587 354

06-10-2010 748 13 BDL BDL 249 19 BDL BDL BDL BDL

07-26-2010 4,035 70 BDL BDL 1,291 100 BDL BDL 11,893 918

09-07-2010 2,835 49 129 10 724 56 BDL BDL 10,565 816

10-06-2010 14,569 251 486 38 6,449 498 BDL BDL 53,420 4,125

11-16-2010 2,774 48 BDL BDL 820 63 BDL BDL 12,465 963

01-11-2011 624 11 BDL BDL 127 10 BDL BDL 2,676 207

05-03-2011 9,379 162 BDL BDL 5,648 436 88 2 27,465 2,121

05-16-2011 4,900 84 BDL BDL 3,435 265 BDL BDL 8,563 661

06-21-2011 1,096 19 100 8 E222 E17 BDL BDL 2,741 212

07-26-2011 8,146 140 BDL BDL 1,524 118 55.8 1.0 29,234 2,257

09-22-2011 48,619 838 BDL BDL 13,803 1,066 216.5 3.7 126,542 9,772

10-26-2011 E131,000 E2,260 E2,000 E150 E121,000 E9,400 E430 E8 E290,000 E22,000
Mercury and Water-Quality Data 15

Table 8. Instantaneous flux and specific flux for total mercury and methylmercury in the filtered and particulate phase, and dissolved 

organic carbon flux and specific flux for Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 9, 2009, to October 26, 

2011.

[Abbreviations: FTHg, filtered total mercury; FMHg, filtered methylmercury; PTHg, particulate total mercury; PMHg, particulate methylmercury; sp flux, 

specific flux; ng/s, nanograms per second; (ng/s)/km2, nanograms per second per square kilometer; BDL, below detection limit; NA, not available due to loss of 

sample or lack of collection; E, estimated]

Date FTHg flux 

(ng/s)

FTHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

FMHg flux 

(ng/s)

FMHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

PTHg flux 

(ng/s)

PTHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

PMHg flux 

(ng/s)

PMHg sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

DOC flux 

(ng/s)

DOC sp flux 

[(ng/s)/km2]

11-09-2009 4.7 0.8 BDL BDL 3.2 0.2 2.4 0.4 84.1 6.5

12-07-2009 5.3 0.9 BDL BDL 6.6 0.5 BDL BDL 87.2 6.7

01-26-2010 10.0 1.7 BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 74.9 5.8

02-23-2010 15.6 2.6 BDL BDL 3.3 0.3 BDL BDL 84.1 6.5

03-16-2010 34.9 5.9 BDL BDL 12.5 1.0 BDL BDL 186.9 14.4

04-22-2010 9.0 1.5 BDL BDL 44.8 3.5 NA NA 142.7 11.0

05-14-2010 9.3 1.6 BDL BDL 1.0 0.1 BDL BDL 31.9 2.5

05-25-2010 7.2 1.2 BDL BDL 0.8 0.1 BDL BDL 23.7 1.8

06-10-2010 5.3 0.9 BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL NA NA

07-26-2010 7.5 1.3 BDL BDL 19.7 1.5 NA NA 85.0 6.6

09-07-2010 19.6 3.3 BDL BDL 8.2 0.6 BDL BDL 81.0 6.3

10-06-2010 12.8 2.1 3.5 0.3 56.4 4.4 1.0 0.2 307.2 23.7

11-16-2010 8.7 1.5 4.3 0.3 13.5 1.0 BDL BDL 182.9 14.1

01-11-2011 5.9 1.0 BDL BDL 4.0 0.3 BDL BDL 70.3 5.4

05-03-2011 2.8 0.5 BDL BDL 20.2 1.6 0.4 0.1 81.0 6.3

05-16-2011 13.1 2.2 BDL BDL 24.5 1.9 BDL BDL 58.6 4.5

06-21-2011 7.5 1.3 BDL BDL 2.1 0.2 BDL BDL 19.7 1.5

07-26-2011 5.3 0.9 BDL BDL 5.4 0.4 BDL BDL NA NA

09-22-2011 17.1 2.9 BDL BDL 64.5 5.0 BDL BDL 691.5 53.4

10-26-2011 E11 E2 BDL BDL E220 E17 BDL BDL E1,100 E87

Table 9. Concentrations of total mercury in 

streambed sediments collected at Rink Creek, Salmon 

River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and 

Preserve, Alaska, May 24, 2010.

[Abbreviation: ng/g, nanograms per gram, dry weight]

Site 

name

Total mercury

(ng/g)

Rink Creek 35.5

Salmon River 19.6

Good River 9.9
16 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

Table 10. Taxonomy, trophic position, and mercury concentrations in benthic macroinvertebrates from Rink Creek, Salmon River, and 

Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2010 and 2011.

[Trophic position: Sh, shredder; C-G, collector-gatherer; Sc, scraper; P, predator. MeHg: percentage of total mercury as methylmercury. Abbreviations:

BMHg, biota methylmercury; BTHg, biota total mercury; ng/g, nanograms per gram; –, no data]

Sample

date Group Order Family Genus Species Trophicposition

BMHg

(ng/g)

BTHg 

(ng/g)

MeHg

(percent)

Rink Creek

05-25-2010 Caddisfly Trichoptera Limnephilidae Onocosmoecus – Sh 11.4 – –

06-21-2011 Caddisfly Trichoptera Limnephilidae Onocosmoecus – Sh 18.0 32.7 55

06-21-2011 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Ameletidae Ameletus – C-G 96.9 138 70

05-25-2010 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis tricaudatus+bicaudatus C-G 52.7 – – 

06-21-2011 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis tricaudatus+bicaudatus C-G 32.7 72.3 45

06-21-2011 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Cinygmula – C-G 92.0 171 54

06-21-2011 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Drunella grandis Sc, P 96.2 146 66

Salmon River 

05-25-2010 Caddisfly Trichoptera Limnephilidae Onocosmoecus – Sh 8.8 – – 

06-21-2011 Caddisfly Trichoptera Limnephilidae Onocosmoecus – Sh 14.9 49.7 30

06-21-2011 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Ameletidae Ameletus – C-G 36.6 96.1 38

05-25-2010 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis bicaudatus C-G 28.2 – –

06-21-2011 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis bicaudatus C-G 45.8 119 38

06-21-2011 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Cinygmula+Epeorus 

grandis

– C-G 77.3 140 55

06-21-2011 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Drunella grandis Sc, P 48.1 109 44

Good River

05-25-2010 Caddisfly Trichoptera Limnephilidae Onocosmoecus – Sh 5.9 – – 

06-21-2011 Caddisfly Trichoptera Limnephilidae – – Sh 11.2 23.2 48

05-25-2010 Mayfly Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis tricaudatus C-G 9.3 – –

Table 11. Methylmercury and total mercury concentrations (wet weight and dry weight) in juvenile coho salmon samples from Rink 

Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2010 and 2011.

[MeHg: percent of total mercury as methylmercury. Abbreviations: mm, millimeters; BMHg, biota methylmercury; BTHg, biota total mercury; std dev, 

standard deviation; ng/g dw, nanograms per gram dry weight; ng/g ww, nanograms per gram wet weight; NA, not analyzed; –, no data]

Site 

name

Sample

date

Sample

size

Fish length (mm) 

mean (std dev)

BMHg

(ng/g dw)

BMHg

(ng/g ww)

BTHg 

(ng/g dw)

BTHg

(ng/g ww)

MeHg

(percent)

Rink Creek 05-14-2010 8 99 (5) (NA) (NA) 112 24.4 –

05-17-2011 10 64 (8) 236 51.4 281 61.2 84

Salmon River 05-14-2010 8 82 (3) (NA) (NA) 226 45.5 –

05-17-2011 9 68 (9) 179 37.6 209 43.9 86

Good River 05-14-2010 8 98 (8) (NA) (NA) 157 34.2 –

05-17-2011 9 100 (15) 119 25.0 176 37.0 68
Mercury and Water-Quality Data 17

Table 12. Concentrations of total dissolved solids, major anions, and major cations from water samples collected at Rink Creek, 

Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2010.

[The number in parentheses (below each constituent) is used by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey to identify parameters in 

computerized databases. Abbreviations: mg/L, milligrams per liter; E, estimated; <, less than]

Date

Dissolved 

solids

(mg/L)

(70300)

Calcium 

(mg/L)

(00915)

Magnesium

(mg/L)

(00925)

Potassium

(mg/L)

(00935)

Sodium

(mg/L)

(00930)

Alkalinity 

(mg/L)

(29801)

Chloride

(mg/L)

(00940)

Flouride

(mg/L)

(00950)

Silica

(mg/L)

(00955)

Sulfate

(mg/L)

(00945)

Rink Creek

04-22-2010 55 11 0.838 0.32 2.56 31.8 3.54 <0.08 2.45 0.75

09-07-2010 104 21.9 1.72 0.7 4.76 60.8 7.25 <0.08 4.44 1.03

10-06-2010 67 13 1.01 0.6 2.83 36.4 4.89 <0.040 3.06 0.78

11-16-2010 90 21.2 1.68 0.58 5.14 59.6 8.44 <0.04 4.36 1.26

Salmon River 

04-22-2010 88 23.1 1.99 0.56 3.75 64.5 5.37 <0.08 2.65 4.02

09-07-2010 149 35.9 3.93 1.21 10.3 101 16.4 <0.08 4.44 5.52

10-06-2010 110 26.2 2.28 0.64 3.49 70.9 5.34 <0.04 3.14 4.61

11-16-2010 170 39.5 4.94 1.46 16.1 109 26.6 0.04 4.83 6.92

Good River

04-22-2010 175 51.8 2.86 1.62 2.5 152 2.36 E0.04 7.84 0.52

09-07-2010 198 65.5 4.34 1.94 3.42 186 2.79 <0.08 10.6 0.38

10-06-2010 173 51.6 2.42 1.52 1.97 148 2.69 <0.04 7.18 0.38

11-16-2010 162 57 3.15 1.52 2.41 159 2.2 0.05 8.52 0.42

Table 13. Concentrations of ammonia, nitrogen and phosphorus species, dissolved iron, and dissolved manganese from water samples 

collected at Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2010.

[The number in parentheses (below each constituent) is used by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey to identify parameters 

in computerized databases. Abbreviations: N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; E, estimated; <, less than; 

–, no data]

Date

Ammonia 

+ org -N 

dissolved 

(as N)

(mg/L)

(00623)

Ammonia + 

org -N, total 

(as N)

(mg/L)

(00625)

Ammonia, 

dissolved 

(as N)

(mg/L)

(00608)

Nitrate 

+ nitrite, 

dissolved 

(as N)

(mg/L)

(00631)

Nitrite, 

dissolved 

(as N)

(mg/L)

(00613)

Orthophosphate, 

dissolved 

(as P)

(mg/L)

(00671)

Phosphorus, 

dissolved 

(as P)

(mg/L)

(00666)

Phosphorus, 

total (as P)

(mg/L)

(00665)

Iron, 

dissolved

(μg/L)

(01046)

Manganese, 

dissolved

(μg/L)

(01056)

Rink Creek

04-22-2010 0.12 0.12 E0.011 <0.016 E0.001 <0.008 E0.007 – 219 19.4

09-07-2010 0.21 0.19 <0.020 <0.016 E0.001 E0.008 0.007 0.13 553 79.5

10-06-2010 0.2 0.24 <0.010 <0.008 <0.001 <0.004 0.005 0.013 344 24.2

11-16-2010 0.13 0.12 0.017 0.011 0.001 0.008 0.009 0.011 377 48.7

Salmon River 

04-22-2010 E0.08 E0.07 <0.020 0.123 <0.002 E 0.005 E0.004 E0.006 78.9 9.38

09-07-2010 0.13 E0.10 E0.017 0.05 E0.001 0.01 0.009 0.012 118 28.9

10-06-2010 0.11 0.12 <0.010 0.07 <0.001 <0.004 0.003 0.009 102 8.23

11-16-2010 0.11 0.09 0.035 0.101 <0.001 0.01 0.01 0.011 81.9 25.6

Good River

04-22-2010 E0.08 E0.09 E0.013 <0.016 <0.002 E0.007 E0.003 0.029 255 119

09-07-2010 E0.09 E0.05 <0.020 <0.016 <0.002 0.009 <0.006 0.019 24.1 221

10-06-2010 0.14 0.15 <0.010 <0.008 <0.001 0.007 0.007 0.024 197 72.7

11-16-2010 0.11 0.08 <0.010 <0.008 <0.001 0.007 <0.003 0.015 107 132
18 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the following people for their 

efforts in this project. John Hudson (independent aquatic 

ecologist) assisted in the collection and identification of 

the benthic macroinvertebrates. Kenna Butler of the USGS 

National Research Program processed the DOC, UVA, and 

SUVA samples. John DeWild of the USGS Mercury Research 

Laboratory processed all mercury samples. Chad Soiseth of 

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve arranged logistics for 

sampling crews traveling to Gustavus and collected samples 

during the high-flow event on October 26, 2011.

References Cited 

Aiken, G.R., 1992, Chlorine interference in the analysis of 

dissolved organic carbon by the wet oxidation method: 

Environmental Science and Technology, v. 26, no. 12, p. 

2,435–2,439.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 2005, Catalog of waters 

important for spawning, rearing or migration of anadromous 

fishes: Juneau, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 205 p.

Bradsher, Keith, and Barboza, David, 2006, Pollution from 

Chinese coal casts a global shadow: New York, New York 

Times article, June 16, 2006.

Brew, D.A., 2008, Delineation of landform and lithologic units 

for ecological landtype-association analysis in Glacier Bay 

National Park, southeast Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey 

Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5183, 7 p. (Also 

available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2008/5183/.)

Connor, C.L., Streveler, G.P., Post, A., Monteith, D., and 

Howell, W., 2009, The neoglacial landscape and human 

history of Glacier Bay, Glacier Bay National Park and 

Preserve, southeast Alaska, USA: The Holocene, v. 19, 

no. 3, p. 381–393.

Dastoor, A.P., and Larocque, Y., 2004, Global circulation of 

atmospheric mercury—A modelling study: Atmospheric 

Environment, v. 38, p. 147–161.

Day, R.D., Vander Pol, S.S., Christopher, S.J., Davis, W.C., 

Pugh, R.S., Simac, K., Roseneau, D.G., and Becker, 

P.R., 2006, Murre eggs (Uria aalge and Uria Iomvia) as 

indicators of mercury contamination in the Alaskan marine 

environment: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 40, 

no. 3, p. 659–665.

DeWild, J.F., Olson, M.L., and Olund, S.D., 2001, 

Determination of methyl mercury by aqueous phase 

ethylation, followed by gas chromatographic separation 

with cold vapor atomic fluorescence detection: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2001-445, 14 p. (Also 

available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2001/ofr-01-445/.)

DeWild, J.F., Olund, S.D., Olson, M.L., and Tate, M.T., 

2004, Methods for the preparation and analysis of solids 

and suspended solids for methylmercury: U.S. Geological 

Survey Techniques and Methods, book 5, chap. A7, 13 p. 

(Also available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/2005/tm5A7/.)

Engstrom, D.R., and Swain, E.B., 1997, Recent declines in 

atmospheric mercury deposition in the upper midwest: 

Environmental Science and Technology, v. 31, p. 960–967.

Fellman, J.B., D’Amore, D.V., Hood, Eran, and Boone, R.D., 

2007, Fluorescence characteristics and biodegradability 

of dissolved organic matter in forest and wetland soils 

from coastal temperate watersheds in southeast Alaska: 

Biogeochemistry, v. 88, no. 2, p. 169–184, DOI 10.1007/

s10533-008-9203-x.

Fishman, M.J., and Friedman, L.C., eds., 1989, Methods for 

determination of inorganic substances in water and fluvial 

sediments (3d. ed.), U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of 

Water-Resources Investigations, book 5, chap. A1, p. 545. 

(Also available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/twri/twri5-a1/.)

Fitzgerald, W.F., Engstrom, D.R., Lamborg, C.H., Tseng, 

C.M., Balcom, P.H., and Hammerschmidt, C.R., 2005, 

Modern and historic atmospheric mercury fluxes in northern 

Alaska—Global source and arctic depletion: Environmental 

Science and Technology, v. 39, p. 557–568.

Fitzgerald, W.F., Engstrom, D.R., Mason, R.P., and 

Nater, E.A., 1998, The case for atmospheric mercury 

contamination in remote areas: Environmental Science and 

Technology v. 32, p. 1–7.

Hammerschmidt, C.R., and Fitzgerald, W.F., 2006, 

Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of methylmercury 

in Long Island Sound: Archives of Environmental 

Contamination and Toxicology, v. 51, p. 416–424.

Horvat, M., and Bloom, N.S., 1993, Comparison of distillation 

with other current isolation methods for the determination 

of methyl mercury compounds in low level environmental 

samples—Part 1, Sediments: Analytica Chimica Acta, 

v. 281, no. 1, p. 135–152.

Krabbenhoft, D.P., Wiener, J.G., Brumbaugh, W.G., Olson, 

M.L., DeWild, J.F., and Sabin, T.J., 1999, A national pilot 

study of mercury contamination of aquatic ecosystems 

along multiple gradients: U.S. Geological Survey Biological 

Science Report 2001-0009, 25 p.

Nagorski, S.A., Engstrom, D.E., Hudson, John, Krabbenhoft, 

D.P., DeWild, J.F., Hood, Eran, and Aiken, G.R., 2011, 

Scale and distribution of global pollutants in Southeast 

Alaska Network park watersheds: Natural Resource 

Technical Report NPS/SEAN/NRTR—2011/496, 67 p., 

accessed March 6, 2013, at http://science.nature.nps.gov/

im/units/sean/auxrep/FC/FC_Nagorski%20NRTR%202011-

496.pdf. 
References Cited 19

National Atmospheric Deposition Program, 2012, Mercury 

Deposition Network: National Atmospheric Deposition 

Program web site, accessed November 14, 2012, at http://

nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/mdn/.

National Oceanic Atmospheric Association, variously dated, 

National Weather Service Climate station Gustavus, Alaska, 

accessed August 15, 2012 at http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/

summary/Climsmak.html.

Nriagu, J.G., and Pacyna, J.M., 1988, Quantitative assessment 

of worldwide contamination of air, water, and soils with 

trace metals: Nature, v. 333, p. 134–139.

Olund, S.D., DeWild, J.F., Olson, M.L., and Tate, M.T., 2004, 

Methods for the preparation and analysis of solids and 

suspended solids for total mercury: U.S. Geological Survey 

Techniques and Methods book 5, chap. A8, 15 p. (Also 

available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/2005/tm5A8/.)

Pacyna, E.G., Pacyna, J.M., Sundseth, K., Munthe, J., 

Kindbom, K., Wilson, S., Steenhuisen, F., and Maxon, P., 

2010, Global emission of mercury to the atmosphere from 

anthropogenic sources in 2005 and projections to 2020: 

Atmospheric Environment, v. 44, p. 2487–2499.

Rossman, D.L., 1963, Geology of the eastern part of the 

Mount Fairweather quadrangle, Glacier Bay, Alaska: U.S. 

Geological Survey Bulletin, v. 1121-K, p. 1–57.

Schroeder, W.H., and Munthe, J., 1998, Atmospheric 

mercury—An overview: Atmospheric Environment, v. 32, 

p. 809–822.

Streveler, G.P., 1996, The natural history of Gustavus: 

G. Streveler, 53 p.

Sunderland, E.M., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Moreau, J.W., 

Strode, S.A., and Landing, W.M., 2009, Mercury 

sources, distribution, and bioavailability in the North 

Pacific Ocean—Insights from data and models: Global 

Biogeochemical Cycles, v. 23, no. GB2010, 14 p., 

doi:10.1029/2008GB003425.

Turnipseed, D.P., and Sauer, V.B., 2010, Discharge 

measurements at gaging stations: U.S. Geological Survey 

Techniques and Methods, book 3, chap. A8, 87 p. (Also 

available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/tm3-a8/.) 

U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012, U.S. Energy 

Information Administration International Energy Statistics 

through 2010: U.S. Energy Information Administration 

web site, accessed October 26, 2012, at http://www.eia.gov/

cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=1&pid=1&aid=2&ci

d=regions&syid=1980&eyid=2010&unit=TST.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agancy, 2002, Method 

1631—Mercury in water by oxidation, purge and trap, 

and cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry: U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, Revision E, EPA 821-R95-027.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, variously dated, National 

Wetlands Inventory, accessed September 10, 2012, at http://

www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/State-Downloads.html.

U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated, National field manual 

for the collection of water-quality data: U.S. Geological 

Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, 

book 9, chaps. A1–A9. (Also available at http://water.usgs.

gov/owq/FieldManual/.)

Weishaar, J.L., Aiken, G.R., Bergamaschi, B.A., Fram, 

M.S., Fuji, R., and Mopper, K., 2003, Evaluation of 

specific ultraviolet absorbance as an indicator of the 

chemical composition and reactivity of dissolved organic 

carbon: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 37, 

p. 4,702– 4,708.

Wiener, J.G., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Heinz, G.H., and 

Scheuhammer, A.M., 2003, Ecotoxicology of mercury, 

in Hoffman, D.J., Rattner, B.A., and Burton, G.A.J., eds., 

Handbook of Ecotoxicology: CRC Press, p. 1290.
20 Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011

This page intentially left blank.
Publishing support provided by the U.S. Geological Survey

Publishing Network, Tacoma Publishing Service Center

For more information concerning the research in this report, contact the

 Director, Alaska Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

4210 University Dr.

Anchorage, Alaska 99508-4560

http://alaska.usgs.gov
Nagorski and others— Mercury and Water-Quality Data from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009–October 2011—Open-File Report 2013–1097